Silver Strawbery
by MissSilverfox666
Summary: Ichigo defeated Aizen and everyone thinks Gin is dead until Ichigo runs into him one night after taking care of a hollow, finding the silver haired devious Shinigami in a park. The moon is out, not a soul in sight, where will this chance meeting lead?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone, Silver Fox here! I thought it about time I posted my original first EVER bleach fanfic yaoi story Silver Strawberry!**

**Now as the title suggests this is a Gin/Ichigo fic and is set after Ichigo had defeated Aizen but doesn't lose the awesomeness that is his powers. Our Ichi is out killing an elusive hollow and is on his way home when he runs into our favourite silver fox.**

**The moon is out not a soul in sight, where will this chance meeting lead? Well read and find out!**

**I don't own bleach!**

**Cheers!**

**MissSilverfox666**

**~Silver Strawberry: Chapter One~**

Seven years is a long time but it seems so short to Ichigo, memories still plague him and sleepless nights leave him exhausted and irritable, the only thing that really cheers him up is his younger sisters, who have just started university.

Each and every weekend they come to visit an exuberant Isshin on their heels and the family smiles and laughs and Ichigo feels lighter after each Sunday night, leaving him almost ready to face the following Monday morning but it is impossible to forget the events of the Winter War and all the pain he and his friends went through.

As much as that world weighs on him he can't leave it behind, there are still hollows that need killing and it is his duty to make sure Karakura remains safe. Visits from Rukia and Renji are also a constant reminder of that part of his life but they bring back the better memories, arguing with them, making fun of Rukia's drawings, it is them and Orihime, Chad, Uryu, Kisuke, Yoruichi and the others from Soul Society that make him glad to have been through the nightmare that haunts him.

It isn't all bad though, Orihime and Uryu got married the year before and Ichigo is really happy for them and somewhat relieved, it took him a while but he has been aware of Orihime's feelings since their last year of high school but he couldn't bring himself to address the matter and hurt Orihime so it was a great relief to find out that she was dating Uryu and he was truly happy for them, he was even Uryu's best man.

These different memories drift across Ichigo's mind as he flash steps across the roofs of Karakura. It was some time around midnight when his badge had started to go nuts, he was halfway through having a shower and only had time to turn the water off before leaving his body, still completely nude in the shower and jumped out the window.

It was now around half past one, the damn hollow had kept disappearing before he finally caught up with it. It was cold and being winter his body was in a constant state of the shivers as he flash stepped, the cold seeping into his bones.

Ichigo felt terribly irritable for some reason, his customary scowl deeper than usual and it wasn't due to the fact he was _way_ behind with his training schedule for his students. Yes students. Ichigo now shares ownership of a dojo with his childhood friend Tatsuki and he was supposed to be doing the training charts right now but that damned hollow had lead him on a wild goose chase and his home was on the other side of town.

Ichigo cursed under his breath, even using flash step it would still take him half an hour to get home. The hollow not only lead him across the town but well out of it before he killed it and it was cold, too damn cold.

So yes Ichigo was a tad irritable and snarky at the moment but even his vile mood wasn't enough to shake off the uneasy feeling he appeared to have picked up within the last five minutes. It was beginning to bug him and he couldn't kick off the idea that he was missing something, that there was a piece of information he wasn't consciously acknowledging and it set him on edge.

Ichigo was never all that good when it came to understanding his _'intuition'_ as some liked to call it but Ichigo called it his instincts and his instincts were currently telling him to waste yet more time and risk a friendly beating from Tatsuki to dart off to his right, heading further away from his house and towards god knows what but it was like a compulsion.

It was pissing him off.

He glowered at the wispy clouds as he passed by, wondering why he was being such an idiot and running across the damn town again for no damn reason.

His scowl was so deep that he had a slightly constipated look on his face, of course if anyone told him that he'd cause them some pain albeit depending on who it was but still.

Ichigo almost snarled at his idiotic thoughts and stopped suddenly, suspended in mid air where he continued to scowl at the unsuspecting tree not too far below him. A light breeze ruffled the leaves, the soft sound breaking the suddenly eerie silence, an oddly familiar sensation slipping along his spine, raising the hair on the back of his neck and not to mention setting his nerves on edge.

Ichigo's body was tensed and ready for any kind of attack but he didn't know why he was so on edge, it wasn't like some sadistic bastard had a blade pressed to his throat, threatening to spill his blood. _That_ part of the Winter War he didn't miss in the least not to mention, the constant fighting and the death around him.

Shoving his random screwed up thoughts aside Ichigo looked around him cautiously. His eyes a dark shade of honeycomb amber in the darkness even as they glowed in the pale light of the full moon hovering above him.

Frowning heavily Ichigo took a step forward, then another and another, passing over the gently swaying leaves of the tree below, just about ready to dismiss his rather weird instincts. He turned, fully preparing to hurry his ass back home and get his work done, he valued his life thank you very much and Tatsuki could be _**very**_ scary at times.

Sighing to himself Ichigo's gaze unconsciously lowered to the ground below him where the dark ghostly shapes of a park appeared suddenly clear in his eyes. He arched a brow, not really recognizing this particular park and simply shrugged before starting to turn only to freeze as a different flash of silver stood out in the misty light of the moon.

Ichigo felt his eyes narrow for a moment, thinking he had imaged it but when he looked again he found he wasn't imagining it. His eyes went as wide as diner plates, shock kept him frozen as he stared at the figure below him, his pale skin having an ethereal glow to it.

_It can't be…how…what is he doing here?_ The jumbled questions rotated around his head as he stared at the man who sat on a swing, his body moving slightly with the motions. His back was facing him but there was no mistaking that silver hair or that slim annoyingly tall figure of…

Ichigo never got to finish that thought, the other's voice floating up to him, amused and carrying a very familiar light mocking tone.

"You know Ichi-kun, your still not very good at hiding your spiritual pressure, even after seven years." The figure tilted his head upward, slitted eyes locking onto the stunned substitute Shinigami, the all too familiar grin playing around his lips.

…Gin Ichimaru…

…No…fucking…way…

**A/N: And that's the first chapter completed Yay! XD I hope you liked it. Probably a bit boring to some but I like the suspense, always drags me in so hopefully I managed to do that for you all! Anyway _please_ if you have any thoughts concerning my first ever fic please don't hesitate to tell me! I love any criticism even if its negative so don't be afraid to say what you think, I may not like what's said but it all helps!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone I have another chapter for you!**

**Enjoy!**

**MissSilverfox666**

**~Silver Strawberry: Chapter Two~**

…Gin Ichimaru…

…No…fucking…way…

Ichigo couldn't move, he was far too busy questioning his sanity. He couldn't be here, he saw him die damnit! Wait, he never actually saw him die, he just assumed he did, fuck!

Ichigo's emotional battle was clearly raging in his eyes and did nothing but amuse the silver haired traitor Shinigami who simply continued to grin up at the orange haired teen…wait that's not right, Ichigo was around twenty two now, he was no longer a headstrong teenager anymore, he is a headstrong _adult_.

'_Even after seven years you haven't changed,'_ Gin thought to himself offhandedly as he watched Ichigo's scowl get even deeper if that was possible, _'Still as determined as ever…and…that look is still there…'_

Gin's thoughts trailed off as he remembered back when he was lying on a pile of rubble, dying, Rangiku crying over him. He had feared for her life then and had Ichigo not shown up when he did the both of them would be dead now. Ichigo had shown up at the last moment with that look of determination and strength in his brown eyes.

He was fully prepared to die then, he had even felt at peace with leaving Rangiku alone again but somehow he had actually survived. It was doubly surprising since his body was sent to the twelfth where he had woken up; if he were any less of the man he was he would have shivered at the thought, the place had always creeped him out, it was so sterile and full of pain and death.

Unfortunately though or perhaps fortunately because he most certainly would be dead if he had a single trace of spiritual pressure left.

The absence of Shinso made him feel naked but not defenceless what made him feel defenceless was the utter emptiness he felt where his spiritual pressure should have been but Aizen had destroyed that back then.

Regardless the disappearance of his power is what got him out of the maze of horrors in the twelfth. The harder part was actually getting through the Seireitei without being seen.

Then again it wasn't all that hard; he had done it quite often throughout his life without being noticed it was just slower. His body felt heavier and slower when it came to running and such but he was still faster than most humans.

The hardest part was actually getting out of Soul Society all together but he had managed.

Gin's reminiscent thoughts were interrupted as he felt Ichigo's spirit pressure pulse and returned his gaze to before him where the orange haired man had appeared, a delightful amount of confusion on his face.

"Explain." Gin grinned at Ichigo's curt and firm demand, the look in his eyes saying he wouldn't take no for an answer and when did he ever?

"You want the truth Ichi-kun?" Gin asked as he stilled the swing and leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, his head on his hands, his grin never wavering even as Ichigo glowered at him.

"Don't call me that and yes I want the damn truth! I wouldn't be asking if I didn't." Ichigo seemed somewhat edgy. That wasn't surprising; they were technically enemies after all.

"Well Ichi_go_," He put emphasis on the 'go' simply to annoy the other man with much success, "I don't have the faintest clue how I'm alive either." Which is true, he was still struggling with the concept himself, he was certain he was going to die then but he hadn't.

Ichigo merely looked annoyed at his answer but it was the truth, he really had no idea how he survived Aizen's attacks on him.

"Alright fine, then how the hell did you get here?" Ichigo frowned, not fully convinced that Ichimaru wasn't playing with him, he'd done so often when they had fought and just like then it pissed him off.

"Now that was tricky." Gin's grin widened and he sat back and began to swing again, his head leaning back as he gazed up at the moon, his expression somewhat serene despite the slightly creepy grin he wore like a fixated piece of jewellery.

Several minutes passed in silence and Ichigo almost thought he wasn't going to elaborate but when he did his voice came out thoughtful and surprisingly quiet.

"I woke up in the twelfth division somehow alive but had I stayed there I wouldn't be so I snuck out. As for how I got here in the human world, I went to the hidden Senkaimon Aizen liked to use to go around the human world undetected, so that answer your question Ichi-kun?" Ichigo frowned at the use of his name like that fully prepared to give Ichimaru a piece of his mind when something suddenly occurred to him.

Gin's grin widened slightly at the not so subtle tick above Ichigo's right eye. He couldn't help but annoy Ichigo; it was still as fun as it had been seven years ago.

Tilting his head slightly Gin waited for the biting comeback he could see forming on Ichigo's tongue but it didn't come as a sudden thought hit the orange haired man making Gin's grin slip into a much sadder expression.

"Wait, how did you get out of the twelfth without being detected, let alone here?" Ichigo asked, frowning down at the top of Ichimaru's head, not yet noticing the look on the other man's face.

"You really want to know that bad Ichi-kun?" Ichigo scowled but let it slip because he really did want to know, but the scowl disappeared in shock at Ichimaru's next statement, "I'm powerless Ichi-kun, it is impossible for anyone to find me now."

**Noooooo! Gin has no powers! T_T Yes I know I'm a cruel person but just think, if you were slashed, stabbed and had _your_ arm ripped off by some flying weirdo (I love you Aizen! Please don't take that comment seriously!), wouldn't it be plausible that your powers went bye-bye? **

**But don't worry too much, things will work out! Just need a juicy storyline to keep things interestin'. **

**Review if you like it!**

**MissSilverfox666**


	3. Chapter 3

**Finally and update for Silver Strawberry! I got a major block on this story and it bugged me so much that I managed to squeeze out this hopefully marginally good chapter, enjoy.**

**Love**

**Silver**

**~Silver Strawberry: Chapter Three~**

Gin's light blue eyes met Ichigo's wide amber ones when he raised his head to look at the man who had succeeded where he had failed, easily reading the shock in the other's eyes.

The rare show of sapphire eyes lasted a complete minute before Ichimaru's eyes closed again but this time accompanied by a deep saddened sigh.

"It would appear the damage I suffered from Aizen managed to destroy my Soul Chain and Soul Sleep." Ichigo stared at Ichimaru, blinking away his shock. It had never occurred to him that he might have lost his powers when it should have. The condition Ichimaru was in back then should have been enough of a hint.

But regardless he couldn't imagine how that would feel to someone like Ichimaru. He's been a Shinigami all his life, the loss of his power must be devastating, he knew that because Rukia had explained how she felt when Ichigo had taken her powers the night they first met.

Looking back when he thought he had lost his powers for good, he had felt devastated that he couldn't protect Rukia or had the means to try at least and then Kisuke had given them back and Ichigo has treasured them ever since, it's no wonder Gin looks so defeated.

"Do you have anywhere to go?" Ichigo asked after a lengthy silence causing the silver haired man to tilt his head in slight confusion, why did he even care?

"No." Gin answered with a shrug, "I've just been wandering around ever since coming here, it's not so different than being in Rukongai." That last part made him smile a little, yes it was like Rukongai but he didn't have Rangiku to protect here.

Gin looked up when Ichigo cursed under his breath before heaving a sigh, wondering what was bothering the boy. Gin had his answer soon enough when Ichigo raised resolved brown eyes to regard him.

"You can stay with me." Ichigo told him earning a shocked frown and slight widening of hidden blue eyes, enough for Ichigo to glimpse that mesmerising colour.

"You what?" Gin replied recovering his use of speech, staring at the boy before him utterly confused.

"I said you can stay with me," Ichigo replied with an irritated sigh walking closer to the silver haired former Shinigami, "Now come on, you'll freeze to death out here." With that statement Ichigo had grabbed a hold of Gin's wrist and promptly flash stepped towards his home eager to be in his warm bed, not realizing Gin's slightly green complexion.

Not only was Gin shocked he could no longer move at such speeds without wanting to hurl up what little food he managed to gather but Ichigo had gotten faster so the ride was very short, thankfully.

Gin gave a silent gasp of air when they became still again, looking up at a modest little house near the outskirts of Karakura town a large yard with a slightly overgrown garden adorning the front.

"Come on." Gin was literally jerked out of his thoughts as he was suddenly pulled towards the door by Ichigo and really didn't the boy have any manners? If he hadn't have lost his powers he would have been sure to teach him some. He may have been sneaky and a liar but at least he had manners and was polite.

"Why did you bring me here?" Gin asked after several minutes of awkward silence which found the pair in the kitchen, where Ichigo finally released Gin's wrist, his skin feeling cold at the loss of warmth.

"Why do you think?" Ichigo replied moving out of the kitchen and into the lounge room, "You'll freeze to death if a hollow doesn't get to you first." Ichigo added as an explanation moving towards the stairs.

"And why would you care?" Gin pressed, a deep frown of confusion pulling his eyebrows downwards, "I am your enemy I betrayed Soul Society, almost killed Rukia." Gin didn't understand why the boy would give a damn if he breathed or died on the street or at the hands of a hollow.

"Your point?" Ichigo asked not liking the stern look he was receiving from his impromptu guest, turning back to the stairs Ichigo considered just ignoring the question.

Ichigo sighed heavily and turned to look at the silver haired man over his shoulder, paused a few steps up the stairs. It was odd actually, why he had invited the man to his home, after all he did do all the things he just listed and yet Ichigo just couldn't bring himself to hate the man or blame him for anything, he never could really, even when they were fighting back then in the fake Karakura, Gin could have killed him but he played with Ichigo.

Ichigo didn't know whether to be pissed off at the other man about that or to be grateful. He wasn't sure what Gin's motivations were but it had something to do with Rangiku and after seven years to reflect that moment, Ichigo just knew the man had never meant to kill him or anyone for that matter, well except for Aizen but that didn't work out well for him.

Not willing to really share what his true reasons were, considering even _he_ didn't know what they were Ichigo stuck with something more simple but highly believable.

"Grimmjow tried to kill me every time he laid eyes on me," Ichigo said after a minute, raising Gin's eyebrows at the mention of the blue haired hell cat Gin had become quite fond of, "And I still saved his ass, what makes you think I'd act any differently with you?"

Gin was silent as Ichigo continued up the stairs after he finished. The boy did have a valid point Grimmjow almost killed him several times but he still saved him from being killed by Nnoitra and he refused to kill Ulquiorra when the stoic hollow had asked, they may have been enemies but he had never hated any of them.

Gin knew this, the boy only fought to protect what he loved, so it really shouldn't come to a surprise to him that the teen wouldn't kill him on sight or turn him in to Soul Society but to let Gin into his house? There is another reason for that and Gin was going to find out what that reason was, whether Ichigo liked it or not.

"Hey Ichimaru!" Ichigo called from the top of the stairs, once again in his human body. Gin looked up at him with a slight tilt to his head as he regarded the young Shinigami, "I have a spare bedroom you can bunk in come on."

Deciding to think later on Ichigo's reasons for inviting Gin to stay he casually strolled up the stairs and into the hallway where Ichigo was now standing beside a door on the left side.

"This is your room, the toilet is the next door down and my room is just across from yours so if you need anything just knock." Ichigo said as he walked to his own room yawning as he opened the door. "Just don't need anything in the middle of the night I barely get enough sleep as it is."

"I'm sure I'll be fine Ichi-kun, good night." Gin replied, his grin widening as he disappeared into his borrowed room, Ichigo spinning around in time to glare at the silver haired man's head before it disappeared.

"Good night asshole." Ichigo muttered under his breath unaware that Gin had still heard it. It was so much fun to tease that boy, despite the loss of his Shinigami powers he was still the best at getting under another's skin.

**Comments? I have this all mapped out vaguely in my head so I know where it's going I just need to get it there, please tell me what you think**

**Love**

**Silver**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four out! This one is dedicated to Vains, I hope you like it**

**Silver**

**~Silver Strawberry: Chapter Four~**

It took several hours but Ichigo had finally fallen asleep, Gin on the other hand sat at the window of his room and gazed at the stars thinking. He thought about his much younger years when he and Rangiku were still only children battling for survival in the Rukongai and how she would always scold him whenever he returned after disappearing for undisclosed periods of time.

He loved Rangiku, he really did but somewhere along the years that love changed to romantic which was why he began to draw away from her in the first place, because by then he was already in Aizen's confidence and it would have broken her heart completely had he let his feelings known at the time. As it was he still broke her heart but she would be able to mend it again.

Gin hadn't had these thoughts for many years and he was coming to the realisation that while he once would have pursued a romantic relationship with her he no longer would. Obviously because there was no way he could return to the Soul Society now that he was powerless and still a traitor but also because over the years serving Aizen he had become much more aware of harsh reality so that love he had felt for Rangiku back then had reverted sometime back to that of siblings, of family.

Gin wondered what had changed within him as he became more engrossed in the world of revenge, lies and deceit but came up with nothing. He was so blinded by his thirst for revenge he had lost himself on the way only for a hot headed orange haired kid to basically shove him back several steps until he finally realised he was no longer who he wished to be.

Gin snorted, Ichigo had inadvertently and metaphorically slapped Gin in the face with his determination and desire to protect those he loved no matter the consequences. It might have been difficult for anyone to ever see but Gin knew that deep down he was the same, he would do anything for Rangiku and had proved as such but in such a horrible way that Gin wonders if it was really ever worth the effort.

Sighing Gin looked away from the sky and moved towards the bed. There was no use to have such thoughts running rampant in his mind, at least not when he still had a few things to figure out, what those things are he still had no clue. What a hopeless case he was proving to be.

Deciding enough was enough Gin lay in his borrowed bed, eyes closed and gratefully allowed sleep to consume him but not before having a devious thought, leaving a smile on his face as he slipped into unconsciousness.

Pale sunlight streamed through a gap in Ichigo's curtains, illuminating the dark room and the figure sprawled on out on the bed. Ichigo lay breathing softly still deeply asleep and unaware of his door opening silently before being shut just as quietly.

Without making so much as a noise Gin crept closer to the sleeping occupant of the room, eying his orange strands splaying around his face only just noticing that Ichigo had grown his hair out much like it had been during that final battle seven years ago so a few errant strands of orange fell across his eyes.

Now standing beside Ichigo's bed and peering down at the boy – no man – Gin absently brushed aside the errant strands from Ichigo's forehead leaving his closed eyes unobscured.

It was barely half past five in the morning and Gin had been awake for at least two hours already debating with himself whether he should carry out that thought he had before he feel asleep and deciding it just wouldn't be him if he didn't torment the man a little. So Gin patiently waited, watching Ichigo sleep not making a single sound.

Not fifteen minutes later as if unconsciously feeling his gaze Ichigo began to stir, struggling to bring himself into awareness. Slowly after five minutes of struggling Ichigo slowly blinked his eyes open, expecting to see his ceiling like normal, Ichigo in no way expected to find the slyly grinning face of Gin Ichimaru hovering mere inches from his own.

"GAH!" Ichigo yelped after a brief moment were time seemed to stop as he tried to register just what the hell he was seeing and when he did he promptly jerked away from the grinning man only to succeed in falling off the other side of his bed with a load thump followed by a groan and Gin's amused laughter.

"Graceful Ichi-kun." Gin snickered as he straightened and slipped his hands within the sleeves of his kimono, watching with amusement as Ichigo shot up from the floor with a deep scowl on his face, hair dishevelled and cloths creased.

"What the hell asshole!" Ichigo exclaimed almost waving a fist at the man but instead both hands remained fisted and placed on his hips in a disapproving manner. Gin for his part blinked once before letting out another round of snickers at Ichigo's stance.

"Screw you asshole!" Ichigo hissed stalking towards the man and grabbing him by the lapels, "This is how you treat the person who saved your ass from freezing on the street!" Ichigo was utterly infuriated with the silver haired man, not only had the man nearly given him a heart attack he had the gall to laugh at him!

"As I recall Ichi-kun," Gin drawled with a smirk, "I didn't have much choice in the matter; I seem to distinctly remember you dragging me here without a thought as to whether I wanted to come or not."

"And I distinctly remember you're supposed to be dead," Ichigo growled in return, "And unless you want to turn that into a reality you will NOT bug me again is that clear?" Ichigo glared as fiercely as he could but most of the effect was lost by his dishevelled state and half lidded eyes still heavy with sleep.

"Not at all!" Gin chirped happily, causing Ichigo to splutter for a moment in shock. Ichigo for all purposes was more powerful than Gin and could really kill him and yet the man stood there without a single fear. Does the man even know what fear is?

"Y…You're impossible!" Ichigo exclaimed at last letting the man go with a huff. Despite his threats he wouldn't kill the man not after basically offering the man a place in his home, however briefly that may be.

Gin just smirked as Ichigo turned away from him grumbling curses about silver haired, fox faced bastards and gathering a towel and searching, presumably, for some clean cloths to change into. Really how did Ichigo live in a place like this, there was clutter everywhere and not just in his bedroom. Gin had taken the time to truly observe Ichigo's dwelling and found it to be an utter mess.

Now while it wouldn't particularly occur to many people but Gin was rather anal when it came to having his things in order not spotless perfection but at least organised chaos while Ichigo just had chaos. How the man found anything was beyond him. If he were to stay here then the mess would be the first thing on his list to rectify.

It was at this time Ichigo turned and caught the rather disgruntled look on Gin's face as he observed the unholy mess of his room, sending a flush of embarrassment to his cheeks which didn't go unnoticed by the man as he turned back to look at Ichigo.

"Don't even think about saying anything." Ichigo warned fighting down his embarrassment and storming past the constantly grinning man and closing the bathroom door with a little more force than was necessary. Hey at least he didn't slam the damn thing! There was just something about that man that ruffled his feathers.

Back in Ichigo's room Gin chuckled quietly to himself before leaving Ichigo's room and heading down the stairs to the kitchen. He might as well make breakfast since Ichigo had offered him a place to stay and by the many takeout boxes littering the living room, Ichigo hadn't had a decent meal in a long time. Can the man even cook?

Shrugging the thought off Gin cleared the rubbish from the kitchen bench and resolutely decided to attack the house later and clean it as he made breakfast.

**I hope you all liked it and I'm sorry for the long delay in an update, I'm truly trying to improve that.**

**Until next time**

**Silver**


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